New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye can be left on waivers in most fantasy leagues ahead of Sunday's Week 16 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Slye has been relatively mediocre this year, showcasing impressive power but struggling with accuracy on kicks that most NFL kickers would make. All in all, he's 19-for-20 on extra points and 23-for-30 on field goals in 2024. This week, the bad news for Slye is that he faces the Bills, who have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing kickers in 2024. To further complicate matters, he'll be kicking in Orchard Park, New York, which is known for cold temperatures, wind gusts, and potential snow in the winter months. Any of these weather conditions could affect Slye in Week 16, further reducing his fantasy value. For now, he's a mid-range K2 who lacks fantasy appeal on Sunday.

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Atlanta Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins was benched in favor of first-round rookie Michael Penix Jr. this week after throwing nine interceptions in a five-game span in which the team went 1-4. Cousins, 36, is unlikely to be the No. 1 QB in Atlanta again this year, and the chances that the 13-year veteran signal-caller comes back in 2025 as the backup are slim. Cousins has a no-trade clause after signing a four-year, $180 million deal last offseason with around $100 million guaranteed. If the Falcons cut Cousins, they'll get hit with $65 million in dead money. If they designate him a post-June 1 cut, they dead money would spread over the next two seasons -- $40 million in 2025 and $25 million in 2026. A trade could be pulled off if Cousins approves it, and in that scenario, the Falcons would be on the hook for the remaining $37.5 million of remaining proration. Cousins also has a $10 million roster bonus for 2026.

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New York Giants quarterback Tommy DeVito (concussion) cleared concussion protocol on Friday and has been removed from the injury report, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan. Meanwhile, fellow quarterback Drew Lock (heel, left elbow) practiced again and has also been removed from the injury report, as expected. The Giants intend to start Lock at quarterback in Week 16 against the Atlanta Falcons, which means that DeVito will return to the backup role. Lock has completed just 51.9 percent of passes through two starts with just 405 yards, zero touchdowns, and three turnovers. On a more positive note, he has flashed impressive mobility with 116 rushing yards on nine attempts. Lock has also shown that he can support strong production from the Giants' receivers, including Malik Nabers, who caught 13 of his 23 targets for 148 yards through Lock's two starts. Fantasy managers should view Lock as a high-end QB3 option this week.

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New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye will get his first taste of December football in Orchard Park during Sunday's divisional matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Maye is coming off a solid game against the Arizona Cardinals in which he registered 202 passing yards, 14 rushing yards, two total touchdowns, and one interception. While the No. 3 pick has been prone to turnovers this year, last Sunday's interception wasn't his fault as a well-placed pass tipped off his receiver's hand and into the arms of a Cardinals. Moving forward, Maye continues to rank just outside the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks. This week's game has a potential high-scoring factor if the Bills take an early lead and force the Patriots to throw the football while playing from behind. However, the Patriots have a shown a reliance on the rushing attack this year, so it's possible that New England's coaching staff looks to shorten the game by putting the ball in the hands of Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson more often. Maye's rushing upside is capped against a Bills defense allowing the fewest rushing attempts and 10th-fewest rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks in 2024, but he should still make an impact through the air. Maye is worth starting in two-quarterback leagues, as well as leagues with at least 14 teams.

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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins (rest, knee) was seen practicing on Friday. He had been limited on Wednesday and absent on Thursday, so his presence to close out the week is a promising sign. According to ESPN's Ben Baby, Higgins was "working with trainers on the side, which has been the norm in recent weeks." It appears the 25-year-old receiver is trending toward playing against the Cleveland Browns in Week 16, but we'll want to see the Bengals' final injury report before jumping to any conclusions. Higgins is a borderline must-start receiver if active; he is averaging 5.8 catches, 82 yards, and 0.8 touchdowns over his last four games. He ranks as a mid-to-low WR2 option this Sunday against Cleveland.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (knee) and left tackle Tristan Wirfs (foot, knee) were both spotted practicing on Friday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Mayfield missed practice on Wednesday, but he returned on Thursday. It appears that he'll be good to go for Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys, barring a setback. The talented signal-caller ranks as the overall QB5 in fantasy football this season, and he's in the midst of a hot stretch that includes seven passing touchdowns over his last two games. He'll rank as a top-10 fantasy option this week against Dallas. Meanwhile, Wirfs is on the practice field for the first time this week after missing the last two days' sessions. It's too early to know his status for Week 16, but Wirfs has previously shown that he can play in a Sunday game after logging just one practice on Friday. Having him active would be key for the Buccaneers as they look to protect Mayfield's blindside.

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The Denver Broncos defense/special came up empty in Week 16 in a Thursday night loss on the road to the Los Angeles Chargers. Denver's D entered this contest as one of the very best defenses in all of football while leading the NFL in sacks and defensive touchdowns scored. However, they did not live up to their billing on a short week, allowing 34 points to the Chargers while recording just two sacks against quarterback Justin Herbert. They held LA's offense to 13 points in the first half before falling apart in the second half. They did pick off Herbert one time in the contest, but all in all, they allowed 380 yards of total offense to their division rivals, who were missing starting running back J.K. Dobbins (knee). It was an uncharacteristic performance from what has been a top-five fantasy defense in 2024, and fantasy managers might want to expect more of the same in a bad matchup in Week 17 against the Bengals.

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Buffalo Bills wide receiver Curtis Samuel (rib) is officially questionable to play against the New England Patriots in Week 16. He had been limited in practice. The 28-year-old has offered a solid veteran presence in his depth role, but not enough to justify rostering him in fantasy football. After all, he continues to operate behind Khalil Shakir, Amari Cooper, Keon Coleman, and Mack Hollins. Even if he's active this Sunday, Samuel, who has just 201 yards and one touchdown through 13 games, can be left on fantasy waivers.

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Arizona Cardinals running back Trey Benson (ankle) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers, according to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss. Benson, a rookie, has consistently operated as the Cardinals' No. 2 running back behind James Conner, totaling 291 rushing yards, 59 receiving yards, and one touchdown this year. With Benson sidelined and Emari Demercado (back) on injured reserve, the Cardinals will call upon DeeJay Dallas to back up Conner in Week 16. For fantasy purposes, Conner, who was the overall RB1 last week, is the only Arizona running back worth rostering and starting on Sunday.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans (rest) and tight end Cade Otton (knee) were seen practicing on Friday, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Evans had been absent on Wednesday, but he returned to practice on Thursday and should be all set to play in Week 16 against the Dallas Cowboys. The 31-year-old caught nine passes for 159 yards and two touchdowns last week, and he needs 251 yards over his next three games to achieve his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season. Otton, meanwhile, had not practiced yet this week, so the fact that he was able to get on the field in some capacity Friday is a good sign. Fantasy managers will still want to check the Buccaneers' final injury report for confirmation on his status, but his presence Friday is a step in the right direction. Otton would rank as a fringe top-12 fantasy tight end if active against Dallas.

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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Tylan Wallace is not a playable option despite a decent opportunity and matchup in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens could be looking for additional pass-catching options with Rashod Bateman (foot) and Nelson Agholor (concussion) both questionable against a Steelers pass defense that ranks in the middle of the pack against fantasy receivers. But at this stage, Wallace's 115-yard performance in Week 10 is the aberration, not the norm. Outside of that week, he has seven total catches for 76 yards. Managers shouldn't risk playing Wallace in the fantasy playoffs, even in the deepest of leagues.

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Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz had a serviceable day for fantasy managers in the Week 16 loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday Night Football and also kept his made-kick streak alive. Since having the potential game-winning field goal against the Kansas City Chiefs blocked in Week 10, Lutz has gone 11-for-11 on field goals and 19-for-19 on extra points in a span of five games. He made both of his field-goal attempts (long of 55 yards) and all three of his extra-point opportunities in the 34-27 loss to the Bolts on Thursday night to give his fantasy managers a solid 11 points in most scoring formats. The 30-year-old veteran has been one of the most accurate kickers in the league (90.6%) and is getting plenty of opportunities in what has become a capable offense under rookie QB Bo Nix. Lutz will be a must-start in a good matchup in Week 17 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

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Baltimore Ravens tight end Isaiah Likely should be considered a very high-risk bet in the fantasy playoffs with the Ravens playing host to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16. The third-year tight end's ups and downs have been wild this season, ranging from a TE1 showing in Week 1 to a zero-target performance despite playing more than half of Baltimore's offensive snaps in Week 12. With receivers Rashod Bateman (foot) and Nelson Agholor (concussion) questionable and Pittsburgh ranking a middling 17th against tight ends, Likely certainly could find himself drawing more targets. But betting on which weeks Likely will pop is like a scratch-off lottery ticket. Tread carefully.

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Denver Broncos fullback Michael Burton got into the action in the 34-27 loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Chargers on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium on a short touchdown pass from rookie quarterback Bo Nix in the second quarter. Burton is not a big part of Denver's offense, but he caught one of Nix's two touchdown passes on the evening for his second touchdown in the last three games. He also fell into the end zone on a goal-line carry in the Week 13 win over the Cleveland Browns. The 32-year-old veteran has mostly served a blocking role for Denver's struggling ground game this year, but he'll occasionally get a touch or two. On the year as a whole through 15 games, Burton has only six rushing attempts for five yards and a touchdown while adding 10 catches on 10 targets for 65 yards and another score. He should continue to be ignored for fantasy purposes.

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Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Mike Williams has both opportunity and a great matchup in Week 16 against the Baltimore Ravens, but starting him at this stage of the fantasy playoffs is not advised. Pittsburgh will again be without top receiver George Pickens (hamstring) and Baltimore has been unusually poor against the pass, ranking 31st against fantasy receivers. However, it's awfully difficult to start a receiver that played only 29% and 35% of the team's snaps without Pickens the past two weeks. Williams may see a slight uptick in production against Baltimore, but he's just not getting enough run in the Steelers' offense to gamble on this week.

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Now that Baltimore Ravens running back Justice Hill (personal) is slated to play in Week 16 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, he can be considered a fringe flex option for managers in PPR formats. The veteran back hasn't done much as a change-of-pace rusher behind starter Derrick Henry, but has been an effective receiver by drawing 50 targets and turning them into 42 catches and three touchdowns. The Steelers rank ninth against fantasy running backs, though Hill logged a top-30 finish among running backs in the first meeting. He's a low-ceiling option, but his receiving floor makes him playable, especially in formats with more than one flex spot.

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Despite what could be additional opportunity, managers should steer clear of Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Van Jefferson in a Week 16 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens. Top Pittsburgh receiver George Pickens (hamstring) missed the previous two contests and is out again against Baltimore, but that hasn't really led to much for Jefferson, who had two catches for 10 yards and a touchdown in those two games despite playing the majority of snaps. The Ravens rank 31st against fantasy wide receivers, but it's tough to trust the journeyman to be the benefactor. Managers holding Pickens should look elsewhere for a backup plan.

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Dallas Cowboys edge rusher Micah Parsons is heading into the fifth-year option of his rookie contract in 2025 but is hoping to get a long-term deal done before free agency opens in March. That fifth-year option is worth $21.4 million, but Parsons doesn't seem to be worried about securing the largest contract in the league. He said "It would be nice to be surrounded by good players," and went on to say that making more money to have a harder time winning doesn't sound fun. The Cowboys have yet to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, so Parsons could have a chance to build his contract case even further after registering 8.5 sacks, 32 total tackles (21 solo), eight tackles for loss, and 19 QB hits through 10 games.

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Green Bay Packers cornerback Jaire Alexander (knee) was back at practice on Thursday and considered a full participant during a snowy session. The two-time pro bowler hasn't played since Week 11 and has only logged a total of 10 snaps after Week 8. Getting one of their top defensive backs would do wonders for the Packers defense, especially against a New Orleans Saints team that's hurting and may need to go to their rookie quarterback. This season, Alexander has registered two interceptions (one pick-six), seven passes defended, and 16 total tackles (15 solo).

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New England Patriots defensive lineman Christian Barmore (illness) has been placed on the non-football illness list after a statement from the team was released on Thursday. The Patriots stated that Barmore "experienced some recurring symptoms that required further evaluation." Barmore will have to sit out for the rest of the season so that he can hopefully return next year symptom-free. He finishes with 1.0 sacks, six total tackles, one tackle for loss, and one QB hit across four appearances.

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